Graham Recycling Company Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Graham Packaging, an industry leader in the design and manufacturing of innovative and sustainable packaging solutions, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Graham Recycling Company (GRC). The facility opened September 26, 1990, running only one line and one shift. It now operates three lines with three round-the-clock shifts.

“When the GRC began operations 30 years ago, Graham Packaging was well ahead of the industry regarding recycling best practices,” said Mike King, CEO, Graham Packaging. “Today, the company continues its innovative trajectory with investments that will further support and expand the capabilities of our recycling company.”

Not only has having an in-house recycling plant helped Graham become one of the largest suppliers of bottle-grade recycled plastic containers in North America, but it’s also reportedly enabled the company to become more sustainable. By diverting plastic from landfills, the recycling facility helps save energy and natural resources, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The process at the GRC starts with recycled material being brought to the plant. The bales are run through a sorting line to check for quality and any contamination, like PET bottles, tin cans, corrugate and more. The bottles are then washed and ground down before entering a float tank, which reportedly helps ensure only HDPE is captured since it floats to the top. The rHDPE grind is processed and finalized before getting packaged into boxes or bulk trucks and shipped to Graham plants that manufacture HDPE bottles.

The plant is also extremely important to Graham’s mission to create a circular economy. Over the past 24 months, the company began securing ocean-bound plastics to be recycled at the GRC. It is also reportedly working to attain certification from the Association of Plastic Recyclers to validate and trace the origins of material it collects for recycling.

For more information, visit https://www.grahampackaging.com.